Game machine system

ABSTRACT

A game system including a stationary game machine requiring an external power supply, such as a coin-operable business-use game machine or a home game machine, and a portable game machine having an internal power supply. Game programs for raising game characters are installed in the stationary and portable game machines. The stationary game machine has more internal resources, and its programs support higher resolution video game data. The portable game machine has a vibration sensor for receiving input during play, resulting in the raising of the character. Each of these game machines are provided with a radio data transfer means through which a game result from a memory in one of the game machines can be transferred to a memory in the other game machine. The game machine receiving the game result can use that result in subsequent processing, such as for a starting point in further play or for creating video data that can be printed on a printer. The game machine receiving the result can include a camera for generating images of a player and an image synthesizing mechanism for combining player images with character images so that the resulting synthesized image can be printed. Further game results can be passed back to the portable game machine, or to another game machine, for further game play.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/195,040,filed Jul. 13, 2002, now pending, which is a continuation of applicationSer. No. 09/056,264, filed Apr. 7, 1998, now abandoned, both of whichare incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a gaming system which enables a player to usethe temporary result of game play on a portable gaming machine tocontinue the game play on a home or business use gaming machine.

The invention also relates to a raising simulation gaming machine and araising gaming system using the same, and more particularly to a raisinggame of raising a virtual character or simulating love with a virtualcharacter as a game player performs key input operation, etc., and araising gaming system and a raising game method of providing a compositeimage of the image of the virtual character raised on the raising gameand the image of the game player and displaying or printing thecomposite image.

2. Description of Related Art

An initial data input system of a game as described in (A) theUnexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Sho 63-242293 isknown as a conventional art similar to the above-described gamingsystem. This art aims at enabling a player to challenge a business usevideo game with a character having ability grown using a home videogame.

The Japanese Patent No. 2642088 (B) discloses a configuration wherein agame program of a small child electronic gaming unit can beelectronically connected to a large parent gaming unit so that a gameplayed on the child electronic gaming unit can be executed on the largeparent gaming unit with a large keying section and an external displayunit having a large screen.

Further, GAME BOY electronic game machine of Nintendo Kabushiki kaisha,TAMAGOTCHI electronic game machine of Bandai Kabushiki kaisha, and thelike are known as conventional portable games and raising games makingthe most of the characteristics of the portable gaming machines are infashion.

The characteristics of the portable gaming machine are to enable a gameplayer to play a game at any time and anywhere and always carry theportable gaming machine for playing a game because the gaming machinehas an internal power supply such as a battery; for example, to raise apet, the portable gaming machine enables the game player to also play apassive game in addition to active games as conventional games.

To use the portable gaming machine for a raising game of a pet of avirtual character as described above, the pet being raised requests‘˜meal,” ‘play,” etc., of the game player by voice, etc., and the gameplayer can play a passive game of performing game operation in responseto the request, so that the game player can perform an act of raisingthe pet in a manner near actual pet raising; the game player feels astronger attachment to the pet as compared with a conventional gamingmachine enabling the player only to perform an active raising act.

A conventional raising simulation gaming machine is a gaming machine onwhich a game player raises a virtual character based on a predeterminedraising simulation program; a generally known one is a size as large asa business card so that the gaming machine can be carried.

Such a portable raising simulation gaming machine has a memory forstoring a raising simulation game program and control means for making agame proceed according to the raising simulation game program. Thegaming machine requests care of “meal,” “play,” etc., of the game playeraccording to the raising simulation game program. When the game playerselects a meal, gives it to the pet, and keeps the pet company byentering commands through key input means based on the requests, imagedata of the character responsive to the raising simulation result of theabove-mentioned key input, etc., is determined by the control means fromimage data of a number of characters stored in the memory as if thevirtual character grew in response to the care, and the determined imagedata is displayed on a display.

The virtual character raised as described above is raised by the gameplayer who enters commands through keys, etc., and thus can be raisedlike a-lovely pet as a so-called virtual pet. Since such a virtual petcan be kept in a portable raising simulation gaming machine, there isnot a fear of putting neighbors to trouble as dogs or cats and nokeeping space is required, so that anybody can have a pet with a lightheart. Particularly, in recent years it has become very difficult tokeep pets in large cities and abandoned cats, dogs, etc., are at stake.With this being the situation, demand for such virtual pets willincrease in the future.

Further, some game software programs of home fixed gaming machinesprovide games to bring up girls or children.

However, in the related art (a), the ability data of the characterraised on the home gaming machine requiring an external power supply isused for the player to play a game on a business use gaming machine. Forexample, when the data of the raised character is transferred to thebusiness use gaming machine and a player plays a game on the businessuse gaming machine based on the transferred data, if the character is alittle insufficient to grow, it cannot be raised additionally on thespot. For example, assuming that the game played on the business usegaming machine described above is a combative sport game, the win-lossrecord against an opponent on the business use gaming machine changesentirely depending on whether or not the raised character has abilitylower than the opponent by one level.

In the related art (b), a game that can be played on a small gamingmachine is simply allowed to be played on a large screen by operatinglarge keys, and large and small gaming machines do not operate underdifferent game programs, thus the game lacks fun.

A game is proposed wherein the above-described portable gaming machinesare connected by a cable and the characters raised on the portablegaming machines are made to fight with each other or marry. However, theplayer cannot continue to play the game on a home or business use gamingmachine of high image quality with the character raised on the portablegaming machine.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new gamingsystem which enables a player to play a game on a home or business usegaming machine based on the game play result on a portable gamingmachine.

By the way, a known machine for raising a virtual pet (character) asdescribed above is a machine for raising the pet only in a simple unitsuch as •a portable raising simulation gaming machine, thus the capacityof storing character information of image information, etc., ofcharacters that can be raised on the portable raising simulation gamingmachine and the display capability of the character information arelimited. For example, a character image displayed on a display is formedby monochrome, rough dots and is extremely plain and simple as comparedwith real cats or dogs. To satisfy a demand as a pet replacing a realcat or dog, an image, reaction, etc., close to a real image to which theplayer can feel an attachment like a real pet needs to be represented asa virtual character. However, it is difficult to accomplish it on aportable or home gaming machine because of a high cost and upsizing thegaming machine.

For example, to bring up a child, his or her parent may take a souvenirphotograph on a ceremony such as a birthday, graduation ceremony, or awedding. A raising simulation gaming machine for taking such a souvenirphotograph does not exist. The reason why such ceremonies are notprovided is that if a raising simulation gaming machine on which suchceremonies can be performed is provided, it is feared that the raisinggame itself will be good for nothing if the ceremonies becomeold-fashioned.

In addition, on such a ceremony, parents often have souvenir photographtaken together with their child rather than the brought-up child solelyhas his or her souvenir photograph taken as described above. Aconventional raising simulation gaming machine which enables the gameplayer to have his or her photograph taken together with a raisedcharacter does not exist.

Further, hitherto, the player has raised a pet (character) in a virtualworld (closed society like a home) only within his or her raisingsimulation gaming machine. However, it is more like the real world tomove a character raised by one person to a raising simulation gamingmachine of another person as an adopted child or marry a characterraised by one person to a character raised by another person forrelating the characters raised by different persons to each other orpromoting interaction among game players.

Some game software programs of home fixed gaming machines provide gamesto bring up girls or children. However, since the gaming machine cannotbe carried, the game player plays a game (raises a pet) on the gamingmachine whenever he or she wants to play the game; passive trouble asthe pleasure of raising the pet around the clock cannot be given to thegame player. The passive trouble is trouble of care soothing or scoldinga dog or a cat in response to meal requests made by the dog or cat notconsidering the time. Like the above- described portable gaming machine,the home gaming machine is also a gaming machine for raising a pet in aclosed virtual world in the gaming machine, thus the world in which apet or a child is raised is narrow and poor in reality and the gamelacks fun.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a raising gamingsystem wherein game players can raise virtual characters in a virtualworld closer to a real world communicating with other game players andother virtual social facilities on raising simulation gaming machinesfor raising virtual characters. It is another object of the invention toprovide a raising simulation gaming machine that can print acommemorative photograph of a raised character and a commemorativephotograph provided by combining a game player with a raised character.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention of aspect 1, there is provided a gamingsystem comprising a gaming machine requiring an external power supply,such as a coin-operable business use gaming machine installed in astore, etc., or a home gaming machine and a portable gaming machinehaving an internal power supply for enabling a player to carry theportable gaming machine and play a game thereon, characterized in thatgame programs for enabling players to play different games are installedin the portable gaming machine and the gaming machine, that each of theportable gaming machine and the gaming machine is provided with datatransfer means through which a temporary game result can be transferredfrom the portable gaming machine to the gaming machine, and that thegaming machine can receive data storing temporary results of gamesplayed on two or more different portable gaming machines through thedata transfer means and execute the next process such as continuing thegame play or printing based on the received data.

In the invention of aspect 2, in the gaming system of aspect 1, the datatransfer means for transferring the temporary result of the game playedon the portable gaming machine to the gaming machine adopts a radiotransfer system and the radio data transfer is executed using power fromthe internal power supply.

Besides, in the invention of aspect 4, in the gaming system of aspect 3,the radio system is selected from the group of a spurious spread system,a time division system, a frequency shift key (FSK) system, infraredcommunication, pulse communication, and AM/FM communication.

The expression “game programs differ” contains the fact that one gameprogram is upgraded as compared with any other game program.

The external power supply is a power supply previously fixed in a house.Alternatively, it could be a set of batteries or the like.

According to the invention of aspect 4, there is provided a gamingsystem comprising a first raising simulation gaming machine comprisingfirst raising means having a first raising simulation game program forraising a character and first storage means for storing first raisinghistory data of a virtual character formed by the first raisingsimulation game program and first data transfer means for transferringthe first raising history data stored in the first storage means to asecond raising simulation gaming machine, and a second raisingsimulation gaming machine comprising second raising means having asecond raising simulation game program for raising a character andsecond storage means for storing second raising history data of avirtual character formed by the second raising simulation game programand second data transfer means for receiving the first raising historydata transferred through the first data transfer means from the firstraising simulation gaming machine, characterized in that the secondraising simulation gaming machine can store second history data of thecharacter additionally raised by the second raising means according tothe second raising simulation game program based on the received firstraising history data in the second storage means, and that the secondraising simulation gaming machine further comprises second display meansfor displaying an image of a character prepared based on image datapreviously stored in image data storage means (fourth storage means)based on the first or second raising history data.

The first or second data transfer means may be means for transferringcharacter raising history data from the first raising simulation gamingmachine via a memory card to the second raising simulation gamingmachine or between the first and second raising simulation gamingmachines by cable communication or optical communication. Raisinghistory data is coded into history code and history code represented bya several-digit number or several characters is given from the firstraising simulation gaming machine to the game player, who then entersthe history code in the second raising simulation gaming machine throughkey input means, etc., thereby transferring the first raising historydata. This is also contained in the transfer in the invention.

The first and second raising simulation game programs may be raisingsimulation game programs common to the same models or different modelsor different programs. However, the raising history data is previouslystandardized so that it can be interpreted and used by both the firstand second raising simulation game programs. The second data transfermeans also contains means having only a function of receiving the firstraising history data from the first data transfer means, of course.

In the invention of aspect 5, in the gaming system of aspect 4, thesecond raising simulation gaming machine further includes an imagereproduction unit and can reproduce the character image prepared basedon the image data in the image data storage means on the imagereproduction unit.

In the invention of aspect 6, in the gaming system as claimed in claim4, the first raising simulation gaming machine further includes firstdisplay means and image data storage means (third storage means) forstoring a plurality of image data pieces and displays a character imageprepared based on the image data stored in the image data storage means(third storage means) based on the first raising history data on thefirst display means, and the image data stored in the image data storagemeans (fourth storage means) is of high image quality as compared withthe image data stored in the image data storage means (third storagemeans) of the first raising simulation gaming machine and the imagedisplayed on the second display means based on the image data in theimage data storage means (fourth storage means) is made excellent inpower of expression of resolution, coloring, etc., as compared with theimage displayed on the first display means based on the same firstraising history data for making a difference between the images.

To make an expression power difference between the images, for example,the second display means uses a color display and the first displaymeans uses a monochrome display or a display control section is providedbetween the first and second display means and first or second characterdetermination means and the expression power of the display controlsection provided in one display means is capable of two-dimensionaldisplay and that in the other display means is capable ofthree-dimensional display using computer graphics means using polygons,etc.

According to the invention of aspect 7, there is provided a raisingsimulation gaming machine comprising a raising simulation game programfor raising a character, raising history data of the character formed bythe raising simulation game program, and provided character image dataassigned based on a temporary game result, characterized by a camera fortaking a photograph of a person, an image combining means for combiningimage data of the taken photograph with image data of the raisedcharacter, and an image reproduction unit for reproducing a compositeimage of the image data.

According to the invention of aspect 8, there is provided a gamingsystem comprising a portable gaming machine comprising a raisingsimulation game program for raising a character and storage means forstoring raising history data of a virtual character formed by the firstraising simulation game program and a print gaming machine comprising animage reproduction unit and storage means for storing a plurality ofimage data pieces, characterized in that the portable gaming machinefurther includes data transfer means for transferring the raisinghistory data to the print gaming machine, and that the print gamingmachine further includes data reception means for receiving thetransferred raising history data, wherein the image data withcorrespondence predetermined in response to the raising history datatransferred to the print gaming, machine is transmitted to the imagereproduction unit for reproducing an image of the image data.

In the invention of aspect 9, in the gaming system of aspect 8, theprint gaming machine further includes photographing means and imagecombining means for combining image data of a photograph taken by thephotographing means with the image data with correspondencepredetermined in response to the raising history data and a compositeimage of the image data is reproduced on the image reproduction unit.

In the invention of aspect 10, in the gaming system of aspect 9, theimage reproduction unit is any of a display, a printer, or a laser beammachining unit.

According to the invention of aspect 11, there is provided a raisingsimulation gaming machine comprising storage means for storing aplurality of image data pieces, display means for displaying image dataselected from among the image data pieces stored in the storage means,raising means for performing a raising action such as care for a virtualcharacter based on the image data displayed on the display means, and araising simulation program for raising the character in response to theraising action of the raising means, characterized in that the raisingmeans is provided with a vibration sensor and the virtual characterraising action is based on the number of steps taken or vibrationfrequency counted by the vibration sensor.

In the invention of aspect 12, in the gaming system of aspect 4, thefirst raising simulation gaming machine is a portable gaming machine.

In the invention of aspect 13, in the gaming system of aspect 12, theportable gaming machine further includes a vibration sensor and whereinthe first raising simulation game program raises the virtual characterbased on the number of steps taken or vibration frequency counted by thevibration sensor.

In the invention of aspect 14, in the gaming system of aspect 13, theportable gaming machine further includes a hook. A player hangs the hookon his or her belt, etc., to make hands free and the portable gamingmachine does not obstruct walking of the player carrying the gamingmachine.

According to the invention of aspect 15, there is provided, in a gamingsystem wherein first raising history data is prepared by first raisingmeans of a portable gaming machine enabling a player to carry the gamingmachine and play a game thereon, having an internal power supply, firststorage means, and first transfer means and second raising history datais prepared by second raising means of a coin-operable business usegaming machine installed in a store, etc., or a home gaming machine,having an external power supply, second storage means, and secondtransfer means, a gaming method comprising the steps of:

temporarily storing the first raising history data in the first storagemeans;

transferring the first raising history data from the first storage meansto the second storage means by the first transfer means;

additionally raising second raising history data by the second raisingmeans relative to the first raising history data from the second storagemeans;

transferring the resultant second raising history data to the firststorage means by the first transfer means or third storage means bythird transfer means; and

again raising the second raising history data by the first raisingmeans, or displaying the second raising history data from the thirdstorage means on display means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a portable gaming machine;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a gaming machine;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the gaming machine;

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation;

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation to show a home gaming machinerequiring an external power supply incorporating the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation to show transfer of raising historydata between portable gaming machines;

FIG. 10 is a schematic representation to show virtual world 1;

FIG. 11 is a schematic representation to show-virtual world 2;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of another gaming machine;

FIG. 13 is a front view to show a modified embodiment of the portablegaming machine according to the invention;

FIG. 14 is a rear view of the modified embodiment in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a right side view of the modified embodiment in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on line X-X in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a gaming system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are functional block diagrams to show one embodimentof the invention. Numeral 1 is a portable gaming machine and numeral 10is a gaming machine.

(Portable gaming machine)

The portable gaming machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is made up of firstdisplay means 6 for displaying the image of a raised character, firsttransfer means 5 for transferring first raising history information ofthe raised character to another gaming machine, and first raising means3.

In FIG. 14, numeral 9 is an internal power supply and the embodimentadopts AA batteries. The internal power supply 9 is thus provided toenable a player to play a game on the portable gaming machine 1anywhere; the portable gaming machine 1 differs in use form from gamingmachines requiring an external power supply such as home or businessgaming machines described later.

The first raising means 3 comprises a first raising simulation gameprogram 2 previously defining game progress, first storage means 4 forstoring first history data of a raised character, first characterdetermination means 8, third storage means 7 for storing-information ofdata of several types of character images that can be raised, andoperation means 3A operated by a game player. Storage means 3B comprisesthe first raising simulation game program 2, the first storage means 4,the first character determination means 8, and the third storage means7. The storage means 3B and the operation means 3A of the first raisingmeans 3, the first display means 6, and the first transfer means 5 arecontrolled by a control section 3C such as a CPU (central processingunit) of the first raising means 3.

The first raising means 3 further includes a counter (not shown) forcounting the game play time or the number of play times.

The game player operates the operation means 3A in response to gameprogress made along the first raising simulation game program 2. Thefirst raising means 3 raises a character in response to the operation ofthe operation means 3A by the player, the game play time or the numberof play times, and the like. Such raising data is stored in the firststorage means 4 in a predetermined format as raising history data. Theraising history data in the first storage means 4 is updated and storedin response to the player's operation of the operation means 3A, thegame play time or the number of play times, and the like. The clause “acharacter is raised as the player operates the operation means” is usedto mean that, for example, if the first raising simulation ga˜ne program2 causes the character to make a meal or play request or the game playerspontaneously gives a meal to the character or keeps the charactercompany, the shape of the character's body goes fat from slim figuredepending on the meal giving timing and the meal kind and amount or thecharacter is often sick through lack of exercise if the character doesnot much play, namely, the character characteristic changes as the gameplayer operates the operation means. This topic will be discussed laterin more detail.

In addition to the operation means 3A, a vibration sensor 3F for sensingvibration of walking, etc., of a human body is provided as means forraising a virtual character, whereby the raising simulation gamingmachine as a portable game is provided with the function and advantagesimilar to those of a conventional pedometer for counting steps, acalorie consumption value, etc., of the user with the pedometer putaround the hips and displaying the cumulative number of steps andcalorie consumption value on first display means for health care for theuser. Generally, it is said that preferably the cumulative number ofsteps a day is 10000. Nowadays, to overcome lack of exercise ofchildren, a nursery school, a kindergarten, etc., distributes apedometer to each child for health care for the children by checking thenumber of steps a day, etc. However, if the pedometer is distributed tothe user who does not intend to take good care of his or her health, itcannot play an essential role in health care unless the person who isnot conscious of health care intends to walk of his or her own accord.However, if exercise of walking, etc., of the player is involved inraising the virtual character as in the embodiment, there is apossibility that the player will hold intention to exercise of his orher own accord from a wish to raise an ideal character rather thanhealth care.

Such a function may be provided by placing a rule that the greater thecumulative number of steps of the player carrying the portable gamingmachine, the more vigorous or slimmer grows the character in the raisingsimulation game program. In doing so, the user intends to exercise asmuch as possible to raise the character as a more favorite character aswell as to improve his or her health, so that the portable gamingmachine becomes useful as a health care machine. The raising game asdescribed above is a game having a large effect on the user to such anextent that if he or she kills the character being raised in the game,the user weeps. Thus, if children carry the portable gaming machines,the portable gaming machines can also contribute to solution to theproblem of lack of exercise of the children as an object of publicconcern.

The vibration sensor 3F is not an indispensable member and a charactercan also be raised by operating the operation means 3A without thevibration sensor 3F, of course. A known sensor used with a pedometer,etc., can be used as the vibration sensor 3F. Any sensor can be appliedif it is a walking sensor of a pedometer. For example, when a pendulumswings in a large amount, a weight thereof comes in contact with asensor side wall and. when it comes in contact with the sensor sidewall, electric switching may be executed. At this time, a step may becounted.

Numeral 3G is a switch circuit for determining a virtual character israised in response to which input signal of the operation means 3A andthe vibration sensor 3F. The switch circuit can be switched by the user.To raise a virtual character, the portable gaming machine can also beconfigured so that the player can give a meal to the character only byoperating the operation means 3A and that exercise of the characterdepends only on the sensing result of the vibration Sensor 3F.

If a hook part 1Z hanged on a belt, etc., as shown by the one-dottedchain line in FIG. 6 is provided, the user can hang the portable gamingmachine 1 on the hips when he or she goes out.

The portable gaming machine 1 is provided with the first display means 6capable of displaying the image of the raised character as describedabove. The image displayed on the first display means 6 is provided inthe memory as the third storage means 7. The first characterdetermination means 8 generates image data responsive to first raisinghistory data from among different types of character images provided inthe third storage means 7 based on the first raising history data storedin the first storage means 4, and the image of the raised character isdisplayed on the first display means 6 in accordance with the imagedata.

The raising history data may be coded as address code of thecorresponding image data for storage in the memory 7. If the imagescorresponding to the character raised in the first raising means 3 arethus stored as address codes, the amount of data to be stored can belessened as compared with that when the raising history data is storedin the first storage means 4 intact. However, if the first raisinghistory data is stored as first raw history data of all operationhistory of the game player operating the operation means 3A, the time,the number of play times, etc., and at the display time of the characterimage on the first display means 6, the first character determinationmeans 8 determines features, body shape, hair style, etc., fitted to thecharacter by calculation based on the first raising history data andnecessary data required for the corresponding character representationis combined and displayed, a larger number of images finely changedfollowing slight change in the raising history data can be provided.

However, the configuration requiring an expensive memory capacity asdescribed above is not preferred at this moment in time from theviewpoint of the price of the portable gaming machine 1 and if the firstcharacter determination means 8 is provided with such a calculationfunction, the cost increases, which is not preferred.

Therefore, in fact, preferably the configuration as described above isadopted for a coin-operable business use gaming machine requiring anexternal power supply installed in a store, etc., (described later). Theportable gaming machine is thus configured, whereby the image of thecharacter raised by the game play who operates the operation means 3Aalong a game advanced by the first raising simulation game program 2 inthe portable gaming machine 1 and raised in response to the number ofsteps of the game player sensed by the vibration sensor 3F istransferred through the first transfer means to a home or business usegaming machine where the image is displayed on second display means 16as a clearer image than the image displayed on the first display means6.

Specifically, in the gaming machine 10 shown in FIG. 2, the parts makingup a character such as features, body shape, hair style, etc., of thecharacter are stored separately in fourth storage means 17, secondcharacter determination means 18 generates the corresponding parts fromfirst or second raising history data, and image combining means 20Acombines the generated parts, then the resultant image is displayed onthe second display means 16.

As described in the sections both above and below, data describing thestate of a character that was raised via a game machine can be stored ina true historic log format (e.g., combat history, or history of playerinput from a sensor), in an image format, in an abilities format (e.g.,storing character power or life point levels), or combinations of theabove. Depending on the format of the data, this state data can bestored in various portions of memory, such as game memory, image memory,or other memories used to store any of the above data.

Any can be used as the first display means 6 if it can display an image;for example, a liquid crystal display, a CRT, a plasma display, or anLED display can be applied. However, to use the portable gaming machine1 as a portable, preferably, easily compacted liquid crystal displaymeans is applied. Further, to use an inexpensive memory having a smallcapacity as the storage means 3B of the third storage means 7, etc., ifa TN liquid crystal monochrome display is adopted, a compact andinexpensive portable raising simulation gaming machine can be provided.

The raised character image that can be displayed on the raisingsimulation gaming machine 1 is thus simplified and the character imagedisplayed or printed on the gaming machine 10 (described later) is madea full-color image with high resolution for making an extreme differencebetween the images, whereby the game player is more greatly impressed bythe raised character displayed on the. gaming machine 10; the gamingability can be improved.

(Raising singly with raising simulation gaming machine)

Image data pieces A to X are assigned to virtual character imagesdetermined by the first character determination means 8 in response tothe first raising history data stored in the first storage means 4described above, as shown in FIG. 4. As A to X, image data is assignedas the first raising history data in the embodiment, but to raise acombative athlete, A to X hierarchical combative sport data pieces aspower or life point levels can also be assigned as the first raisinghistory data. The combative sport data may be leveled up from A or B toC or D in response to the raising time of the combative athlete(containing the number of play times) and the level of the combativesport data of another combative athlete beaten by that raised combativeathlete. The first raising history data of the combative athlete thusraised can also be transferred to another combative sport gaming machinefor making the combative athlete raised by the player fight againstanother combative athlete previously stored in the combative sportgaming machine or a combative athlete raised by another game player.

FIG. 5 shows an example of raising progress with the raising historydata as the image data, as described above. The raising progressexample-will be discussed with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The gameplayer chooses favorite egg A between two eggs A and B displayed on thesecond display means 6 by operating the operation means 3A (first step).A timer (counter)—not shown—starts counting the play time with thechoice point in time as the reference and after the expiration of apredetermined time interval, the chosen egg A changes to character C(second step). Whether the egg A changes to character C or D can beautomatically determined using a random number at the choice time of theegg A or B (for example, male or female) or can be determined by thegame player who operates the operation means 3A by the time the egg Achanges to the egg C. When the character C changes to E, whether Cchanges to E, F, or K is determined by the game player who operates theoperation means 3A in response to “meal,” “play” request made by thecharacter C (third step).

Random numbers can be used so that different change is made if theoperation timing differs even if the game player operates the operationmeans 3A in the same manner. Further, to change the character E to K,the game player may operate the operation means 3A as at the third step(fourth step). After this, the game player will raise the character bytaking similar steps to the third and fourth steps.

(Modified embodiment of portable gaming machine)

FIG. 13 to FIG. 16 show a modified embodiment of the above-describedportable gaming machine. FIG. 13 is a front view to show a modifiedembodiment of the portable gaming machine according to the invention.FIG. 14 is a rear view of the modified embodiment in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 isa right side view of the modified embodiment in FIG. 13. FIG. 16 is asectional view taken on line X-X in FIG. 13. Parts identical with orsimilar to those of the above-described portable gaming machine aredenoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. 13 to FIG. 16 and willnot be discussed again.

In FIG. 13, numeral 1 K is a rectangular box on a plan view, a main bodyof a portable gaming machine 1 according to the modified embodiment. Aninside 1L of the box 1K contains batteries 9 biased to one side in thelength direction and a game control section is housed inside (see FIG.16). The portable gaming machine 1 of the modified embodiment differslargely from the above-described portable gaming machine 1 in thatstorage means 3B is housed in a cartridge indicated by the one-dottedchain line in FIG. 16 and can be electrically and physically connectedto or disconnected from a game control section 3C housed in the box 1K.

Disposed on a surface 1M of the box 1K are key input switches 3A (3A1and 3A2) and first display means 6 as a flat display for displaying gameinformation produced based on external storage medium 3B of a RONcassette, etc., (described later) by the game control section 3C inaccordance with key input.

Further, also in the modified embodiment, batteries 9 are provided so asto enable the game player to play a game on the portable gaming machinein the open, etc., like the above-described portable gaming machine. Thebatteries 9 occupy large weight percentage as compared with the firstdisplay means 6 or the game control section 3C. In the modifiedembodiment, the batteries 9 occupying large weight percentage among thecomponents of the portable gaming machine are biased to one side in thelength direction, whereby the center of gravity of the portable gamingmachine is biased to the one side housing the batteries 9.

The first display means 6 is disposed on the opposite side to the sidein the length direction of the box 1K housing the batteries 9 and thegame information is displayed in the direction in which the game playercan play a game while seeing the first display means 6 with the housingside of the batteries 9 in the box 1K downward.

In addition, a string retaining part IN is provided in a side face ofthe side in the length direction where the first display means 5 isdisposed and an engagement part 50B of a string 50 having a loop part50A is brought into engagement with the string retaining part IN forfixing the string 50 and the box 1K. In the embodiment of the invention,the string 50 is put on the left of the portable gaming machine as shownin FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, but can also be put on the right thereof asindicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 13.

The string 50 is set to such a length to allow the game player to passhis or her palm through the loop part 50A of the string 50 and place hisor her fingers on the operation positions of the key input switches 3A.

The box 1K has outer dimensions of 23 mm (maximum thickness), 70 mm(short side), and 112 mm (long side), and the first display meansadopted as a flat display has a size of 46.5 mm×42 mm. The portablegaming machine of the embodiment is designed to be not only compact, butalso lightweight to enable the game player to play a game with theportable gaming machine held by his or her hand. The term “portablegaming machine” in the specification is used to mean a gaming machinewhich contains a drive power supply for eliminating the need for anexternal power supply required for a conventional home or business usegaming machine and is designed to be lightweight and compact to enablethe game player to play a game with the gaming machine supported by bothhands. The term “stationary game machine” is used to mean a game machinethat is not a portable game machine, such as a conventional home orarcade game machine. In other words, game machines that require anexternal power supply, and game machines that cannot be held in bothhands, are stationary game machines.

In the embodiment, the portable gaming machine is fully worked out sothat it is designed to be compact; for example, attention should befocused on the attachment part of the switch 3A2 of the key input switch3A. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 16, the surface 1M of the box 1K where theswitch 3A2 is attached shows a swelling form as compared with otherportions of the surface 1M so that a stroke in the thickness directionof the box 1K can be used to switch the switch 3A. Specifically, if thegame player presses the neighborhood of the outer periphery of theswitch 3A2 having a circular key button form in the thickness directionthereof, the outer peripheral portion of the switch 3A2 is inclined withthe switch 3A2 as the center for switching.

Alternatively, if the game player slides the switch 3A2 of a circularkey button form in a plane direction, for example, left and right orback and forth, the switch 3A2 slides on a spherical slide face (notshown) and a stroke in the depth direction can be used for switching, asdescribed above.

According to the method of sliding the switch for switching, as comparedwith the method of pressing the switch in the depth direction forswitching, the gaming machine itself becomes compact and as the switchbecomes smaller, the game player becomes easily conscious of theswitching act.

The key input switches 3A1, which are both pushbuttons, are used asbullet shooting buttons in a shooting game or function as accelerationand brake operation buttons in a driving game.

The switches 3A1 and 3A2 are placed at positions such that the gameplayer can switch the switches 3A1 and 3A2 with thumbs of both handswith the portable gaming machine supported by both hands. That is,preferably on ease of operation, the switches are placed near the movetraces of thumbs when the game player moves his or her thumbs supportingthe. portable gaming machine by both hands so that the player can seethe first display means 6.

Three long holes to allow sound from a sound reproduction unit 3C1 toeasily travel to the outside are made below the pushbuttons 3A1.

A rotary knob 1P for adjusting contrast of the first display means 5 anda rotary control 1Q for adjusting the volume of sound produced from thesound reproduction unit 3C1 are disposed on a side face of the box 1Kand can be operated by the game player. In the embodiment, the operationswitch 3A2 is a slide switch, but any other form such as a pushbuttonswitch may be adopted.

Further, a pushbutton power switch (not shown) is disposed on anotherside face of the box 1K.

In addition, an insertion, slot 1R for inserting the cartridge 3B ismade in one end face of the box 1K.

Disposed in the other end face are a power connector (not shown) toreceive an external power supply other than the contained batteries andan earphone connector (not shown) to allow only the player to listen tosound produced from the sound reproduction unit 3d.

The inside 1L of the box 1K houses a circuit board forming the controlsection 3C made up of the CPU and various electronic circuits forcontrolling the game program. A connector (not shown) for electricconnection to the cartridge 3B at a position communicating with theinsertion slot 1R is mounted on the lower face of the circuit board.

The batteries 9 are used as the drive power supply of the first displaymeans 6, the sound reproduction unit 3d, the game control section 3C,etc. Preferably, a separate backup power supply is provided so that thetemporary game result stored in the storage means 3B is not lost whenthe batteries are replaced, etc.

In the modified embodiment of the portable gaming machine, if an ACreceptacle provided in a house exists, the portable gaming machine canbe operated by receiving power through the receptacle without using thebatteries 9 although not shown.

(Gaming machine)

The gaming machine 10 roughly comprises a camera 20, second displaymeans 16, and a printer 21 in addition to the configuration of theraising simulation gaming machine 1. The second display means 16displays image data of a character corresponding to first raisinghistory data transferred from the raising simulation gaming machine 1via the transfer means 5 to the gaming machine 10 as it is, or acomposite image provided by the image combining means 20A combining theimage data with the image of a person having his or her photograph takenby the camera 20. The printer 21 prints the image displayed on thesecond display means 16 as it is or at higher resolution.

The member correspondence between the raising simulation gaming machine1 and the gaming machine 10 is as follows: Storage means 13B correspondsto the storage means 3B; a second raising simulation game program 12 tothe first raising simulation game program 2; the first raising means 3to second raising means 13; the first storage means 4 to the secondstorage means 14; the first data transfer means 5 to second datatransfer means 15; the first display means 6 to the second display means16; the third storage means 7 to the fourth storage means 17; the firstcharacter determination means 8 to the second character determinationmeans 8; and the first operation means 3A to the second operation means3B.

FIG. 3 is a front view to show the appearance of the gaming machine 10.FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram to show the gaming machine 10. Themember correspondence between the raising simulation gaming machine 1and the gaming machine 10 shown in FIG. 2 is as described above.

Like the raising simulation gaming machine 1, the gaming machine 10 canalso raise a character by itself, in which case the members of thegaming machine 10 play the same roles as the corresponding members ofthe raising simulation gaming machine 1.

(Raising a character with raising simulation gaming machines of aportable gaming machine and a gaming machine)

Raising a character with raising simulation gaming machines of aportable gaming machine and a gaming machine will be discussed withreference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7.

The gaming machine 10 as the gaming machine discussed in the form is abusiness use gaming machine installed in a gaming house.

First, when a game player inputs a coin as much as a predeterminedamount of money required for playing a game into a coin slot 22 shown inFIG. 3, an image as shown in FIG. 6 is displayed on the first, displaymeans 16. The game player connects the first transfer means 5 of theportable gaming machine 1 and the second transfer means 15 (15A) by acord based on the displayed prompt. Then, when the game player selects“READ DATA” in FIG. 7 by the operation means 13A, the first raisinghistory data stored in the first storage means 4 is transferred from thefirst transfer means 5 through the second transfer means 15 to thegaming machine 10. The transferred first raising history data is oncestored in the second storage means 14.

The second raising means 13 starts a raising game along the secondraising simulation game program 12 based on the first raising historydata stored in the second storage means 14. When the game is started,the character is raised additionally in accordance with the secondraising simulation game program 12 and as the game player operates theoperation means 13A. The second raising history data of the additionallyraised character is stored in the second storage means 14 in sequence.

The second raising history data of the additionally raised characterstored in the second storage means 14 is transferred through the secondtransfer means 15 and the first transfer means 5 to the portable gamingmachine 1. The first raising means 3 furthermore additionally raises thecharacter along the first raising simulation game program 2 based on thetransferred second raising history data.

In the description of the transfer means 5 and 15, the portable gamingmachine 1 and the gaming machine 10 are connected by a cable. However,alternatively, any known communication system capable of executingtwo-way or one-way communication can also be adopted. For example, amemory card reader 15B is provided in FIG. 3 and the first raisinghistory data as the temporary game result is once stored on a memorycard 5A from a home gaming machine requiring an external power supply asshown in FIG. 8, then the memory card 5A is read through the reader 15Bas the second transfer means 15 of the business use gaming machine 10shown in FIG. 3, whereby the first raising history data can betransferred to the gaming machine 10. An optical communication receptionsection 15C as shown in FIG. 3 can also be used as the second transfermeans 15 for transferring the first raising history data from an opticalcommunication reception section of the first transfer means 5 of theportable-gaming machine 1 by optical communication.

To transfer the temporary game result of the first raising history data,the second raising history data, etc., as described above without usingthe above-described memory card 5A or communication, the data can alsobe directly transferred through the internal memory of the portablegaming machine 1 as described above. Specifically, physical connectionis made possible between the second transfer means 15 of the businessuse gaming machine 10 shown in FIG. 3 and the home gaming machine shownin FIG. 8 and the first transfer means 5 of the portable gaming machine1, then the portable gaming machine 1 is connected to the home gamingmachine 10 at one time for transferring the temporary game result datatherebetween and is connected to the business use gaming machine 10 atone time for transferring the temporary game result data therebetween.In this case, the portable gaming machine 1 plays a similar role to thatof the memory card 5A.

(Preparation of composite image of raised character and game player)

As described above, the gaming machine 10 can prepare a virtual raisedcharacter image by the second character determination means 18 fromimage data in the fourth storage means 17 based on the second raisinghistory data in the second storage means 14 (the character state notadditionally raised by the second operation means 3A, etc., namely, thefirst raising history data may be stored as the second raising historydata) and combine the prepared image data with image data of the gameplayer having his or her photograph taken by the camera 20 by the imagecombining means 20A. The camera 20 and the image combining means 20A arenot indispensable members to use the gaming machine simply as acharacter raising game.

However, the camera 20 and the image combining means 20A enable thecomposite image (photograph) of the raised character and the game playerto be displayed on the second display means 16, and the character raisedin the virtual world and the game player in the real world can bebrought into contact with each other on the first display means.

The image data of the character prepared according to the second raisinghistory data stored in the fourth storage means 17 is finely classifiedor delicately represented as compared with the image data in the thirdstorage means 7 prepared according to the second raising history data,whereby the image can be displayed more clearly and can be changed whenthe raising state a little changes as compared with the image displayedon the second display means 6. In the third storage means 7 and thefourth storage means 17, different images (one is a monochrome image andthe other is a full color image having a large data amount) aregenerated based on the same raising history data, whereby the more realimage of the character raised in the virtual world is˜displayed on thesecond display means 16 of the gaming machine 10.

(Printing of character image)

The printer 21 is connected to the image combining means 20A of thegaming machine 10. The printer 21, which is also optional, is connectedto the image combining means 20A, whereby the image displayed on thefirst display means 16 can be printed; for example, ceremoniesresponsive to the age of the character, such as a graduation ceremonyand a wedding, and a growth process can be left in the image form.

If the composite image provided by the image combining means 20Acombining the image data with the image of the game player having his orher photograph taken by the camera 20 is printed on the printer 21, thecharacter raised in the virtual world and the game player can be broughtinto contact with each other so that the game player feels a strongerattachment to his or her raised character and can obtain pleasure likeraising of a real pet.

The gaming machine is configured as a simple print gaming machine havingno raising simulation game program and the raising history data of thecharacter raised with the portable gaming machine is transferred to theprint gaming machine, whereby the raised virtual character can beprinted. In this case, the character is not additionally raised on thegaming machine.

In such a configuration wherein the character is not additionally raisedon the gaming machine, the transfer means 15 may have a function as datareception means simply for receiving the raising history data from theportable gaming machine.

(Transfer of temporary game result between portable gaming machines)

FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing to show how the temporary game result inone portable gaming machine is transferred to another portable gamingmachine for exchanging the raised characters with each other or portingthe raised character from one portable gaming machine to another. Inthis case, the same game program is stored in the portable gamingmachines.

The game ability can be widened like a surrogate mother, a marriage, amarriage meeting, etc., by making it machine to another.

(Composition of virtual world made up of portable gaming machines andgaming machines)

Virtual world 1

FIG. 10 is a diagram to show the composition of a virtual worldconsisting of portable gaming machines 1 and business use gamingmachines 10 placed in stores, etc.

Numerals 1A to 1D are portable gaming machines 1 owned by game players.Numerals 10A to 10C are gaming machines 10 each comprising the camera 20and the image combining means 20A. Moreover, they have different secondraising simulation game programs 12. The second raising simulation gameprogram 12 of the gaming machine 10A is a program concerning “hospital”for enabling the game players to play a game of curing a serious diseaseoccurring when raising characters in their gaming machines 1A to 1D(homes in the real world). Various types of game play are possible; forexample, the game player selects a good one from among hospitals andselects a doctor who seems capable in the hospital for performing anoperation on the raised character, etc. Of course, first and second gameprograms differ and are advanced, whereby different games can beexecuted.

The composite image of the raised character and the game player havinghis or her photograph taken by the camera 20 can also be printed on theprinter 21 to commemorate leaving the hospital. The gaming machine 10Bis a “school,” for example. The temporary game result as first raisinghistory data is transferred to the gaming machine 10B as a school andintelligence, etc., of the additionally raised character is improved bya second game program different from a first game program, then thetemporary game result as second raising history data is returned to theraising simulation gaming machine 1A to 1D.

Such transfer is executed by the transfer means (5, 15). The transfersystem may be a. wire or radio system. Although any system of light,sound, or a radio wave may be adopted as the radio system, the portablegaming machine 1 needs to be provided with an internal power supply 9 asa radio power supply.

The portable gaming machine is thus provided with the internal powersupply 9, whereby to change the image of the raised character a little(to the next growth stage) on the gaming machine 10, the character canbe additionally raised on the spot for obtaining a favorite image. Ifthe portable gaming machine does not have the internal power supply 9,the game player needs to once go home for additionally raising thecharacter; since the portable gaming machine has the internal powersupply 9, the game player can additionally raise the character on thespot without such trouble.

If the game program of the gaming machine 10B to which the temporarygame result-is transferred is a school as described above, when the gameplayer plays a game on the gaming machine 10B, the character becomesclever. When the character becomes clever, the effect of changing theexpression of the character or making the character more reasonable isproduced as the character becomes clever. The gaming machine 10C is a“karate hall,” for example. As the raised character goes to karate hall,the character may be able to be well built, improve in power level as acombative athlete, or acquire techniques. The level as a combativeathlete, etc., is stored as the temporary game result as the secondraising history data.

Virtual world 2

FIG. 11 assumes another virtual world. The gaming machines 10A to 10C inthe virtual world 1 can display the composite image of the raisedcharacter and the person having his or her photograph taken on thesecond display means 16 and print the image. The invention is notlimited to gaming machines each comprising a camera and an imagereproduction unit. That is, a gaming machine not comprising a camera oran image reproduction unit, such as a product named MVS sold by theapplicant is used as the above-described “hospital” or “school” associal facilities and a virtual raised character can be made toartificially experience communication with the outside in the real worldon the gaming machine.

Gaming machines 10A to 10D comprise different second raising simulationgame programs 12, which correspond to different social facilities likethe portable gaming machines 10A to 10C in the virtual world describedabove. However, the gaming machines 10A to 10D in FIG. 11 do not containthe camera 20 or the image combining means 20A in FIG. 2.

Each of gaming machines 30A to 30C in FIG. 11 is provided by excludingthe second raising means 13 and the second raising simulation program 12from the gaming machine 10. That is, the gaming machines 30A to 30Ccorrespond to “photo studios” in the social facilities. FIG. 12 showsthe gaming machine 30. Parts similar to those previously described withreference to FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG.12. The gaming machine as a “photo studio” contains a game program forcombining a raised character with previously stored background andforeground and allowing the game player to enter desired letters in apredetermined sequence rather than the virtual character raising gameprogram in “school,” etc., described above.

The “photo studios” for printing the composite image of the game playerand the raised character or the image of the character by itself andvarious raising social facilities for raising the character are placedin a store such as a gaming house of amusement facilities as dedicatedmachines, whereby the above-described various gaming machines arespecialized and when queuing for playing a game, the game player caneasily estimate the wait time because the same type of game is played onthe raising simulation gaming machines and the game play time does notextremely differ. Personnel in the store can predict what virtual socialfacilities, namely, raising simulation gaming machines will becomeinsufficient for players to play games and can easily recognize thevirtual social facilities to be added.

Further, the second raising simulation game programs contained in thegaming machines 10A to 10D as the virtual social facilities can also beinstalled in one gaming machine in a multi-cassette system so that thegaming machine is changed from “karate hall” to “stadium” by replacingcassettes. To adopt such a multi-cassette system, a known system asdescribed in the Unexamined Japanese Utility Model ApplicationPublication No. Sho 60-135764 or 63-3886 may be used.

Using the memory card reader 15B, image data of game player looks, etc.,can be read from a digital still-video camera and be combined with theimage data of the raised character by the image combining means 20A fordisplaying the composite image on the second display means 16 orprinting the image on the printer 21.

The character image or the composite image of the character and a person(game player) having his or her photograph taken, displayed on thesecond display means 16 of the gaming machine 10 can be once stored on amemory card provided by the game player through the memory card reader15B so that the game player can reproduce the stored data on the memorycard with his or her digital camera or display on a home television.

According to the above-described inventions, there are respectiveadvantages as below.

According to the invention as claimed in claim 1, the temporary resultof a game played on two or more different portable gaming machines istransferred by the data transfer means to a gaming machine requiring anexternal power supply, such as a coin-operable business use gamingmachine installed in a store, etc., or a home gaming machine. Forexample, the capability of the character prepared based on the temporarygame result transferred is set and the player can play a game inresponse to the game program of the gaming machine based on the setupcharacter capability.

For example, when the game program of the gaming machine provides acombative sport game, if the character raised by the player on his orher portable gaming machine has a lower capability than the competitorand has no chance of winning, the player can additionally raise thecharacter on the spot. The additional raising also contains, forexample, the act of changing the weapon used by the character, changingthe character from a magician to a martial art athlete, etc.

Preferably, the radio system as claimed in claim 3 is adopted as amethod of transferring the game data as the temporary game result on theportable gaming machine by the data transfer means. Since the portablegaming machine of the invention comprises an internal power supply, thedata can be transferred to the radio system as well as the conventionaltransfer method via a recording medium such as floppy disk. The radiosystem eliminates the need for a floppy drive mechanism unit, decreasesthe number of parts, and if data is transferred from a plurality ofportable gaming machines, eliminates the need for providing a pluralityof slots connecting the portable gaming machines and gaming machines ofbusiness use gaming machines, etc. For example, if a memory card isconnected to the data transfer means as a storage medium fortransferring data, two memory card insertion slots become necessary inthe gaming machine to which the data is transferred.

According to the invention as claimed in claim 4, the first or secondraising history data of the raised character can be transferred betweenthe first and second raising simulation gaming machines or from oneraising simulation gaming machine to another and the character can beadditionally raised by the second raising simulation game program in thesecond raising simulation gaming machine based on the first raisinghistory data prepared in the first raising simulation gaming machine,thus the character can be raised while communicating with a differentworld or society.

Further, a character image is prepared based on the image datapreviously stored in the image data storage means (fourth storage means)based on the first or second raising history data and the prepared imagedata can be displayed on the second display means, so that the raisingresult can be displayed on the second display means of the secondraising simulation gaming machine.

In the invention as claimed in claim 5, the image displayed on thesecond display means can be reproduced on the image reproduction unitand the image of the raised character can be held as a photo. Such anact plays a role as a commemorative photo of the raised pet.

In the invention as claimed in claim 6, the first raising history datais passed on the second raising simulation gaming machine and thecharacter can be displayed based on the image data storage means (fourthstorage means) contained in the second raising simulation gaming machinedifferent from the first raising simulation gaming machine based on thefirst raising history data, whereby, for example, a larger amount ofimage data than that in the image data storage means (third storagemeans) in the first raising simulation gaming machine is provided in theimage data storage means (fourth storage means) and a display unit ofhigh resolution that can reproduce the image data stored in the imagedata storage means (fourth storage means) can also be used as the seconddisplay means to display the raised virtual character; a more rich andreal image represented more accurately can be provided.

That is, the amount of data stored in the image data storage means(fourth storage means) in the second raising simulation gaming machineas the data amount required for character image preparation from oneraising history data piece is set larger than the data amount in theimage data storage means (third storage means) in the first raisingsimulation gaming machine or the second display means uses a displayunit of higher resolution than the first display means, so that theimage displayed on the second display means can be made sharper,clearer, and finer than the image displayed on the first display meansin the first-raising simulation gaming machine. For example, the-firstraising simulation gaming machine is made portable, handy, and compactat low cost and the second raising simulation gaming machine is providedwith the capabilities of displaying and printing a sharper, clearer, andfiner image. The raising state is finely classified and although thecharacter raising state changes a little, the raising state differencecannot be recognized on the first display screen, but can be recognizedon the second display screen, whereby the character display image can bevaried between the first and second display means.

In the invention as claimed in claim 7, the image of a person having hisor her photograph taken by the camera is combined with the image of theraised character and the composite image is printed, whereby acommemorative photo of a raised child and a dog, a cat, etc., can betaken as in the real world. That is, the contact between the virtualcharacter raised in the virtual world and the game player of a fosterparent in the real world appears in the composite picture, thus theplayer can feel a realer attachment to the virtual character. This meansthat the virtual and real worlds can be represented in a piece in theprinted commemorative photo. Preferably, the printing unit is a videoprinter or any other color printer, but may be a monochrome printer,etc. Various printers such as inkjet and thermal transfer printers areavailable. A composite photo of-the game player and the character raisedon the raising simulation gaming machine or a loved character is taken,whereby the contact between the real and virtual worlds is created andthe game ability richer in reality can be widened.

According to the invention as claimed in claim 8, the image of thevirtual character raised on the portable gaming machine can be printedon a dedicated print gaming machine. That is, since the portable gamingmachine needs to be formed small so that the player can carry it, aprint function cannot be installed in the portable gaming machine, butsuch a problem can be solved by enabling data to be transferred betweenthe portable gaming machine and the dedicated print gaming machine.

According to the invention as claimed in claim 9, in addition to theadvantage in claim 8, a print on which the virtual character raised andthe player raising the character are taken can be provided. The printbecomes the contact between the real world and the virtual world raisingthe character and the game player can feel an increased attachment tothe character raised on the portable gaming machine.

According to the invention as claimed in claim 9, the portable gamingmachine can play a role as a so-called health exercise machine. Forexample, if the person carrying the portable gaming machine do not muchwalk, the fact that the virtual character becomes short of exercise canalso be represented by voice or an image for prompting the personcarrying the portable gaming machine to exercise. Of course, the gameplayer can also vibrate the portable gaming machine supported by his orher hand for making the character exercise.

1. A game machine system comprising a portable game machine having an internal power supply, including: an image memory for storing image data for a plurality of images; a display configured to display image data selected from among the image data stored in said image memory; a program configured to raise a character that is based on image data displayed on said display, the character being raised in response to an input to the program; and a vibration sensor configured to provide input to the program, wherein the program is configured to use input from the vibration sensor to raise the character and change the displayed image data.
 2. The game machine system as claimed in claim 1, and further including a connector for hanging the game machine on the user. 